Leg-spinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who replaced injured Wanindu Hasaranga with a like-for-like substitute, dazzled with a remarkable six-wicket haul on Sunday at the R. Premadasa Stadium in here, leading Sri Lanka to a historic 32-run victory against India and a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Dunith Wellalage and Kamindu Mendis, choosing to bat first on a dry track that offered turn and bounce to spinners, salvaged Sri Lanka’s innings for the second time in as many games with a thrilling lower-order comeback to record a competitive 240/9.
India responded by cruising at 97/0 before the visitors’ situation completely unravelled.
However, Rohit Sharma’s reverse-sweep off Vandersay caused the visitors to crumble. The leg-spinner picked up 6-33 in his 10 overs, which is the seventh-best figures by a Sri Lankan bowler in One-Day Internationals. Captain Charith Asalanka took three wickets with the ball once more, including the big scalp of a resolute Axar Patel, as they bowled out India for 208. Rohit again gave India a fast start, cutting Dunith Wellalage twice before sweeping him for three boundaries in the fourth over. He was quick to rock back and pull Akila Dananjaya for a four, and he followed that with a six.
After Dananjaya pitched it short, Rohit hit him off the back foot for six. He then elegantly reached his second consecutive fifty in only 29 balls by hitting Kamindu Mendis for six with an inside-out lofted shot over extra cover.
Rohit attempted a risky reverse-sweep off Vandersay after slog-sweeping Wellalage for six, but he was only able to obtain a top edge, which was caught by backward point rushing across and diving to grab the catch with both hands.
After Rohit fell, Shubman Gill drove outside the off-stump, and the slip fielder stuck out his right hand to complete the catch. This set off a spectacular Indian breakdown, according to Vandersay. Then, in quick succession, he trapped Virat Kohli and Shivam Dube leg-before-bowling.
When Vandersay’s googly got past Shreyas Iyer’s forward defence and trapped him leg before wicket, he achieved his first five-wicket haul in ODI cricket. Soon after, he got his sixth wicket as K.L. Rahul attempted a cut but was caught by a bounce.
Axar initiated his counterattack by cutting the space between third man and backward point for four. He then lofted Charith Asalanka inside-out over cover for six, and swept and paddled for two more boundaries. He blasted a lofted drive for six after clipping Dananjaya for four.
However, Asalanka was unable to hold it down as Axar punched off the backfoot. With a lunge to his left, the Sri Lankan captain grabbed the ball with both hands just inches above the surface, dismissing Axar for 44.
After that, Asalanka bowled Washington Sundar and Mohammed Siraj out for lbw, and Kusal Mendis’s run-out of Arshdeep Singh sealed Sri Lanka’s historic ODI victory.
Earlier, despite a 74-run partnership between Avishka Fernando and Kusal Mendis, Sri Lanka found themselves in danger at 136/6 in 34.5 overs. However, Wellalage (39), who was joined by Kamindu (40), tore up a magnificent 72-run stand off 68 balls for the seventh wicket. Due to the efforts of the two, Sri Lanka managed to reach a respectable total, particularly with 79 runs coming from the final ten overs.
Due to the efforts of the two, Sri Lanka managed to reach a respectable total, particularly with 79 runs coming from the final 10 overs. Furthermore, it turned out to be a wise decision to include Kamindu in instead of Mohamed Shiraz, a quick bowler. Washington top-scored for India with 3-30, while Axar (1-38) and Kuldeep Yadav (2-33) shared three wickets apiece.
Having repeatedly challenged the batsmen in his opening spell, Axar finally got his comeuppance when Sadeera Samawickrama attempted a slog but miscued, getting caught by a cover fielder who was backpedalling.
When Kuldeep delivered an outside off-stump delivery, Janith Liyanage was caught off guard and sent the drive straight to the spinner, who made a leaping overhead grab in his follow-through. Washington returned to claim his third wicket, giving Charith Asalanka a straightforward catch at backward point after unsettling him with turn and bounce.
Reverse-sweeping Kuldeep to start the rearguard action, Kamindu was granted a reprieve when Dube failed to make the catch. Wellalage contributed by getting Axar past third man for four and getting just enough on the slog to beat long-on for six. Wellalage was a good run maker between the wickets. After that, he hit a lofted off-drive for six against Siraj and then Mendis went for a boundary against Arshdeep by going down the ground.
However, Wellalage’s attempt to reverse-sweep Kuldeep failed to occur at the appropriate moment, allowing a short fine-leg to be caught. After Dananjaya edged past Arshdeep for four, Mendis and he both lofted Siraj for a boundary. In the last over of the innings, Kamindu hit a low full toss over point off Arshdeep for four. He and Dananjaya were then ran out on the next two balls.
Brief scores:
Sri Lanka 240/9 in 50 overs (Kamindu Mendis 40, Avishka Fernando 40; Washington Sundar 3-30, Kuldeep Yadav 2-33) beat India 208 in 42.2 overs (Rohit Sharma 64, Axar Patel 44; Jeffrey Vandersay 6-33, Charith Asalanka 3-20) by 32 runs